title: Foveal slope measurements in subjects with high-risk of age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent reports indicated that the slope of the foveal depression inﬂuences the macular pigment (MP) spatial proﬁle. MP has been shown to confer possible protection against age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) because of its antioxidant properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the configuration of foveal slope and the foveal thickness in fellow eyes of subjects with unilateral neovascular ARMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control series.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 30 cases aged >50, who had unilateral choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) or disciform scar in the fellow eye and 29 controls aged >50, who had no sign of ARMD in the either eye. Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, foveal thickness at different locations including the central subfield foveal thickness (CSFT) was noted. The foveal slopes were calculated in the six radial scans (between 0.25° and 1° retinal eccentricity) as well as the 3D scan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cases had a significantly higher CSFT when compared to controls (215.1 ± 36.19 μ vs. 193.0 ± 17.38 μ, P = 0.004). On the 3D scan, the cases had shallower superior (cases 1.32 ± 0.32 vs. controls 1.45 ± 0.13, P = 0.04) and temporal slopes (cases 1.27 ± 0.21 vs. controls 1.39 ± 0.12, P = 0.01) in comparison to the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We noted a shallower superior and temporal foveal slope and a higher CSFT in the fellow eyes of subjects with a unilateral neovascular ARMD. Prospective studies observing the development of CNVM in subjects with altered foveal slope might provide more information on this optical coherence tomography finding.
authors.affiliation: Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Department of Vitreoretinal Services, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.forename: Sayalee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahane
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sandeep
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity